[Decadence]

I just read "I am Jackie Chan" and found it completely absorbing, the guy is an absolute legend!

A lot of these Biographies and Autobiographies are a load of trumpet-blowing tosh but among them are some very interesting people! Any recommendations?

Obviously I would recommend Jackie Chan's to everybody.

[mentalpen]

I'm not a big reader of biographies and autobiograpies but i recently read Immediate action by Andy Mcnab and thought it was good.
I'm not sure whether it's a book people will like if they're not into military stuff though.

[phairplay]

Charles Bronson (prisoner)

The film doesn't even scratch the surface

[Ivor the Engine]

London by Peter Ackroyd. An astonishing insight into the life of a city.

Failing that, anything about Ali. Love him or hate him the guy is a legend.

[Decadence]

Originally Posted by Ivor the Engine

London by Peter Ackroyd. An astonishing insight into the life of a city.

Failing that, anything about Ali. Love him or hate him the guy is a legend.

You see I fall into the "hate" category after watching the Will Smith film...I might give a book a try though.

[zenza]

Have read biographies on Stan Lee, Bruce Lee, Tim Burton and David Lynch.

All fascinating people and great reads.

[littlesheepy]

I quite like celebratory autobiographies. It's quite nice to read where people have come from.
The ones i've read and enjoyed the most (depending upon you liking the individual that is)
Julie Walters
Paul O'Grady
Alan Carr
Peter Kay
John Barrowman

[TimeLord]

The moons a balloon

[Orson]

I always class myself as never reading biographies, but whenever I go to a school fayre/fate type thing, I always end up buying exactly that.

I liked Frank Skinner, & Billy Connoly, but my favourite has to be Brian Blessed - picked up for 20pence too - a really great read

[nod]

Hello all,

'Who on earth is Tom Baker?' by Tom Baker funnily enough! Very readable, sad and funny at the same time. Well worth a read.

Peter

[sniffer66]

Bizarrely, Simon Cowell

Someone lent it to my wife and I picked it up when I had nothing else to read. He was born into money but left school with very little in the way of qualifications. If he is to be believed, he worked like a dog for years (often for free) to make his way in the music business. He often put his own money on the line to succeed.
I always assumed he got where he was quite easily, mainly through luck. I ended up with quite a healthy respect for the guy after that.

[B12]

Good thread.

I've read all the ones on great MotorCycle racers

Barry Sheene
Kenny Roberts
Joey Dunlop
Valantino Rossi ETC, quite good if you like that sort of thing.

Recently read I'm no Angel by Jay Dobbins, the FBI agent that infiltrated the American Hells Angels, you may have seen the documentary on this, he got so close to them that at times he wondered where his loyalty's lay ... great read.

To follow that up I read Sonny Barger's one (The Hells Angel leader) to get the story from their PoV, though this was written before that FBI infiltration.

Listened to Roger Moore's autobiography (read by himself) on Audio Book last night, have a lot more respect for him now.

[Hillskill]

Great thread. Biographies have been some of the best reads I have ever had

Originally Posted by sniffer66

Bizarrely, Simon Cowell

Someone lent it to my wife and I picked it up when I had nothing else to read. He was born into money but left school with very little in the way of qualifications. If he is to be believed, he worked like a dog for years (often for free) to make his way in the music business. He often put his own money on the line to succeed.
I always assumed he got where he was quite easily, mainly through luck. I ended up with quite a healthy respect for the guy after that.

Totally agree. I haven't read his book (in a way it would appear un-finished as he is in his prime IMHO) but in years to come I think people will look back and labell him a genius. He has single handedly revolutionised the way music and television can work together to sell a product. For my money he must be one of the most powerful men in entertainment.


OK.....here are few Biographies I have read that were fantastic reads:

Ronnie Wood
Slash
Motley Crue
Don Simpson: High Concept (and utterly brilliant account. Simpson produced all the big moveis of the 80s such as Top Gun etc)

They are all very laddish and rock n roll but they were great fun and very easy to read. I quite fancy reading some more Hollwood ones.

[Billo]

I heard this biography being recommended on Radio 4 last week, it sounds good with tales of battles against drink,drugs and hamburger addiction

[kopchoir]

Best Bio i have read is Carra By the Legend that is Carradonna a worthy read for any football fan, i was bought it for xmas last year and i finished it same day couldnt put it down was a quality read and has a lot of mutual respect for other teams.

[Garrett]

Some I read

Peter Cushing Autobiographies very good.

The Rat Pack also very good insight to all the members of it
John Pertwee also a good read.

Robert Vaughn I found interesting when he was on about movies but delved a lot into politics but shared some behind the scenes goings on with the Kennedy’s whom he was friends with.

Barry Norman was all over the show to say he was a journalist he kept the time line all over the place, some of it was on his career and some on meeting the stars.

I started the Jonathan Ross one but it was not my style at all.

[gbcasual]

Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox is a really good read as is John McEnroe's Serious.

Thanks

Jon

[huwg]

The two 'auto-biographies' I've most enjoyed are Mr Nice (Howard Marks) and to a slightly lesser extent Wonderland Avenue (Danny Sugarman).

Although depending on your point of view they may come across as a 'waste of a clever mind' and a 'spoiled brat'.

[krish]

As a cold war / spy history enthusiast, I enjoyed Peter Wright's Spycatcher (co-written with Paul Greengrass of the Bourne films) ... bought in Amsterdam in 88, whilst Thatcher still had an embargo on it

Alan Clarke's Diaries were a good read - the original volume he published based on his original stint in parliament, rather than the later sequels/prequels

Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson - a very recent biography that tells a very personal story about the man, makes use of Einstein's personal correspondence and papers which had only just been made available

[DJMS]

Frank Skinner and Bez (from the Happy Monday) both have many absolutely moments. Got some strange looks on the train reading those

[DJMS]

Originally Posted by gbcasual

lucky man by michael j. Fox is a really good read as is john mcenroe's serious.

+1

Originally Posted by huwg

mr nice (howard marks)

+1

[Iccz]

Originally Posted by zenza

Have read biographies on Stan Lee, Bruce Lee, Tim Burton and David Lynch.

All fascinating people and great reads.

Totally agree on Stan Lee, wonderful read!

[Fangorn]

Just picked up Lucky man on the rec, I enjoyed "Dear Fatty" by Dawn French.

[travlinmatt]

If your into sports books would recommend:

Garincha by Rui Castro facinating look at possibly the finest winger to ever play the game and I guarantee you'll never have a caipirinha again without raising a silent toast to the guy.

Matt Dawson's Nine Lives is great fun, and an interesting insight into the 2000 Tour of Hell when he Captained England to the biggest hammerings of England by the All Black and Aussies.

Otherwise:

American Prometheus: J Robert Oppenheimer - Utterly engrossing book about the guy who gave the world the bomb then was castigated when he said it was a mistake. Heavy on the Physics in places but an amazing read.

Cochrane the Dauntless: The Life and Adventures of Thomas Cochrane by David Cordingly. If you've ever read a Hornblower or an Aubrey/Maturin adventure, its probably based on something Cochrane did for real. He is largely forgotten in Britain but still a hero in allot of South American countries he liberated from Spain after he was kicked out of the Royal Navy because he couldn't keep his mouth shut.

BTW is Carra's book translated into English or is it written in Scouse?

[Icm76]

Originally Posted by travlinmatt

Garincha by Rui Castro facinating look at possibly the finest winger to ever play the game and I guarantee you'll never have a caipirinha again without raising a silent toast to the guy.

Agreed, this is excellent. I also really enjoyed El Diego which is just as fascinating

Garrincha: The Triumph and Tragedy of Brazil's Forgotten Footballing Hero
by Ruy Castro

El Diego
by Diego Maradona

[Duncan G]

Currently reading a biography of Harry S Trueman by David McCulloch. Very readable not dry like some books.

Truman: Amazon.co.uk: David McCullough: Books

[Sonic67]

Bob Monkhouse. Funniest books I've ever read. One is called Crying With Laughter.

[zenza]

Reading the biography of Slash at the moment and i'm really enjoying it....great book.

[vader100]

Originally Posted by zenza

Reading the biography of Slash at the moment and i'm really enjoying it....great book.

Very good read, he really doesn't hold back on telling about what a state he was in on the drugs. Also leaves you in no doubt who he blames for G'n'R going bad so quickly.

[Scholes18]

Best autobiography ive read in a long time has to be ,

Motley Crue : The dirt.

Pulls no punches at all and at some points youre disgusted with what they got upto but at other points you really feel for some of them , especially vince neil ( cant mention why as it would spoil it ) but anyone with an interest in music , especially 80s rock bands should read it,

I have , 5 times